Tight Ends

OKAY.
here's the score: the chain was not NJS--my mistake. however, it was a chain that they were selling for £17.
i was surprised that the very absolute cheapest chain that they had was £10. i guess i just did not realize how expensive a basic chain from a shop would cost, as so far, i've sourced my bits off ebay and online stores, and prior to this bike, it was mostly 2nd hand or discounted stuff in the U.S., so hey, what do i know?
i will say that i was trembling when i handed over my charge card, as everything cost significantly more than i would have imagined, and i felt a bit of a sucker.

hippy
Restoration projects are for old men :P

my inner old man suffered a heart attack.
partly because of the cost, and partly because these new bits aren't fitting my "vision".
anyway, what's done is done, and at least i have a rideable bike now. and the new brakes do work better than any brakes i've ever had on any of my bikes in the past.

on a happy note: this bike is also more nimble than any other i've ever had, and riding it for the first time today was pretty thrilling.

anyway, it's time for my nightly horlicks and metamucil (devils advocaat's giving me heartburn!)

Nicholas I got a rubber hammer, placed my wheel over the fork and hammered the fucker in.
Worked out nicely.

my rubber mallet lost some of it's skin, and so did i. there were all kinds of acrobatics, let me tell you. the filing was definitely necessary.

OH-- and btw-- my eyeballed wood-plank DIY cold-setting was confirmed a-ok! :)

The cheapest chain wiggle sell is £8 for a Connex 8spd. On the other hand.. you could buy this for a measly £225:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360012640&n=Connex%20Connex%2010TR%20Titanium%2010%20Speed%20Chain

well, the £17 one was the one first offered, mind you, and the £10 one i didn't see until today. just sayin'.

I went to Halfords and bought a 1/8 silver plated chain that looks just like a KMC for £5.99.

Now KMC are cool, but I've snapped a Kool, so it's all the same, everythings gonna snap when you least expect it. I reccomend you go there.

And your bike shop sounds a bit harsh, like kinda seem to be pressurising you into a sale, and that isn't cool. (so much cool)

Is your LBS a modern shop? I'd say go outta town a bit and find a small old shop and they will probably make you a bike on a frame for £20, my LBS is a big deal, but if I go slightly further out, I find all the bits I need but it doesn't matter who makes them (cables, linings, grips, bearings) and its about 1/3 of the price.

You don't really wanna cheap out on a chain though, do ya?

yes! of all the places to skimp, chain has gotta be no1.

after seatpost. and stem.

But what if it breaks and you go flying into a mad dash with death?

or fall over?

When i went to manchester, my expensive chain snapped! so i went to halfords and got some cheeeeeap chain.

Sometimes, cheapest = best.

the £8 chain i am currently rolling with is holding up nicely and running as smoothly as some of the £25 jobs i have used.

cajeta - glad to hear you have the Hetchins up and running. i look forward to seeing you out there on it.

Get a Salt 1/2 link from Evans = £9.99

Exactly the same chain/plate numbers as the 4-jeri and Reluctant half links at £12.99 and £14.99 respectively.

Run them on all mine and my friends bikes - work a treat.

Yeah but MA3K you probably know how to wield a chain tool correctly..

lpg When i went to manchester, my expensive chain snapped! so i went to halfords and got some cheeeeeap chain.

Sometimes, cheapest = best.

Word!

Indeed I do but most people wont need to break/re-brake their chains often.

It only takes getting it wrong once..